Teenager told he must spend 17 years in jail for knife murder

A TEENAGE killer has been jailed for a minimum of 17 years after stabbing a 20-year-old to death.

Erick Ekam, 19, used “severe force” to stab Mohamed Aadam Mohamed to death with an 8 inch kitchen knife.

Two other members of Mr Mohammed’s family have been stabbed to death in separate incidents.

In September last year, Ekam, who was 17 at the time, was witnessed having a short confrontation with Mr Mohamed before drawing a knife from his waistband.
He then stabbed Mr Mohamed in the arm, neck and back.

The blows were so forceful that the tip of the knife was left lodged in Mr Mohamed’s bone.

Ekam, from Kentish Town, was chased down by a police officer. He made no comment in police interviews but when it reached trial, claimed it was Mr Mohamed who had a knife and he disarmed him in self defence.

However, a jury on Wednesday convicted Ekam of murder.

Mohamed Aadam Mohamed

They also found him guilty of possession of a knife on the same day as the attack, and a previous incident three months earlier.

Mr Mohamed’s family wept as a statement by his mum Fowsiya Abdi was read to the court by prosecution barrister Allison Hunter QC.

The statement said: “The death of his older cousin left him heartbroken and Mohamed gradually began to abandon his personal life ambitions as he then chose to focus on supporting and being there for his family.”

Ms Abdi added: “He was a very sociable person who had a large circle of friends and had everything going for him. We honestly have no idea where we will begin to recover from this tragedy. Our only hope at this point is that the individual responsible for his death is brought to justice, although it will never remedy or console the immense hole that now residents in all our hearts but will at least honour his memory with knowing that those responsible did not escape the consequences.”

Erick Ekam

In a letter read to the court by defence barrister Bernard Richmond QC, Ekam apologised to the family for the devastation caused.

Sentencing Ekam, who had one previous conviction for possession of a class A drug, to a minimum term of 17 years in prison, Judge Michael Grieve QC said the attack was “vicious” and “disproportionate”.